Sony's PS3 Hacked! Can Bypass Future Firmware Updates

Sony's Playstation 3 console has endured a "master hack" that can bypass future firmware updates issued by the company.

The published hack could result in pirated games being played on Sony's PS3, according to NBCNews.

The hack basically allows users to run an unofficial version of Sony's PS3 software and log into Sony's PSN network, even dodging security fixes featured in future firmware updates.

Typically Sony uses LV0 keys to protect the PS3's firmware. Originally a hacking group known as "The Three Musketeers" engineered LV0 decryption keys, but had no intentions of making them public.

It wasn't until Chinese hacking group BlueDiskCFW was about to release them for a fee that The Three Musketeers made them public.

"If it wouldn't have been for this leak, this key would never have seen the light of day," the Three Tuskateers wrote when they released the key as documented by a PlayStationLifeStyle.net post.

"Only the fear of our work being used by others to make money out of it has forced us to release this now."

With the key public, it'll be hard for Sony to exercise damage control, unlike the 3.6 firmware fix they issued in 2011.

"The reveal of the LV0 key basically means that any system update released by Sony going forward can be decrypted with little or no effort whatsoever," wrote Richard Leadbetter in a Eurogamer post.

"Options Sony has in battling this leak is limited â€” every PS3 out there needs to be able to decrypt any firmware download package in order for the console to be updated (a 2006 launch PS3 can still update directly to the latest software)."

Sony has yet to comment on what is being referred to as the "master hack."